Kitchen Chemistry #1: DIY Cleaner/Disinfectant

You want something to wipe your kitchen bench tops with that will both clean and disinfect?

Well, of course, there are a number of commercial options available, but the do-it- yourself version is very simple to make.

We have all come across alcohol wipes that are used to disinfect a wound before applying a bandage. Well, as it happens, the optimum concentration of alcohol (ethanol) in water to disinfect is 70% by volume (or 66% by weight).

In fact, if you’ve ever bought AQUIM hand gel from the chemist, this is all it is, with a thickener added.

So, to make your own, all you need to do is buy some methylated spirits from your local hardware store, get a couple of generic trigger pack sprayers, and make it up at 70% in water. In other words, for every 100 mL you add 70 mL of ethanol (metho) and 30 mL of water.

And as it happens, not only will it disinfect, it will also do a jolly good job of cleaning, as alcohol is an excellent general-purpose solvent. And of course, you could also add a few drops of an essential oil if you wish, to leave behind a pleasant fragrance afterwards.